City Pages is reporting that “City leaders delete ordinance prohibiting dancing in the streets“.

It proves the old adage, when outlaws can dance in the street then only dancers can be outlaws … er, something like that.

[Link courtesy of Metroblogging Minneapolis]

My uncle sent me a wonderful present recently. It is an indoor Stove Top Smoker. I had never really considered anything like this for my kitchen. I have been around people smoking food outdoors but was never really interested enough in smoking food to devote an entire day to the activity.

After using this pan a few times I have to say it is really fabulous — better than expected. I smoked both a small brisket and a salmon fillet over the weekend. Both dishers were very simple to to prepare and had a wonderful but not overpowering smoky taste. I can’t wait to try roasting veggies in this pan.

The pan itself is a really heavy stainless steel pan that doubles as a deep roasting pan, so is a much appreciated addition to the kitchen.

There didn’t appear to be any smoke escaping from the pan but the house did smell vaguely of a butcher shop afterwards. This is good news to me since I love the smell of a butcher shop.

I’ve often thought that “butcher shop” would be a really great men’s cologne. I’ve always been afraid that if I were to actually procure or create “eau de butcher shop cologne” I would become a pied piper of puppies.

30-Minute Snog Beats the Sneeze.

I like kissing, I really do, but kissing someone in the middle of their hayfever attack, even for the love of science and histamine-blocking — I’m not sure about that.

Truffles, originally uploaded by timbu.

There are chocolate truffles in my office this morning if you want one.

They are as ugly as sin, but taste pretty good.

I made them much too large, so you might want to cut one in half.

I really need to work on presentation.

The co-worker formerly known as “the co-worker who would prefer to be called my favorite co-worker” is out on maternity leave. Consequently, I have an opening and I’m interviewing for a temporary replacement worker. Obviously you must already work at my office.

Requirements include the ability to give out fashion advice, make me a special dessert on my birthday and the ability to listen to my inane bitching — good sense of humor is a must.

BTW, this is not an actual job, with a pay check and benefits, it’s a virtual-job. You won’t be paid for this and you’ll still have to get your actual job done. (If you read this blog, you’re probably qualified already.)

Mother’s Day / Fishing Opener, originally uploaded by timbu.

What more need I say. Thanks mom. Happy Mother’s Day, wish I was there.

Today’s annoyance of the week is the price of gas. I don’t want to talk about peak oil, supply & demand, historical prices adjusted for inflation or any other sensible thing. Blah, blah, blah — I don’t like the idea of dropping a $65 to fill up my tank.

Today I had one of these weird small world experiences. I was walking out of church — walking towards me was a barista from the Caribou located all too conveniently on my way to work. For a minute I wondered if I was having some sort of caffeine withdrawal delusion — nope, it was really her. She thought I looked familiar, but didn’t know why until I asked her if she could make me a large-skim-wet-cappucino. Obviously the pusher means more to the addict than vice versa.

Next thing you know someone from church will show up at my coffee shop.

Could everyone please stay in the correct boxes please?

I made my first intentionally flat bread today. The recipe was for a pita. It was an ordinary yeast dough, but then it was rolled into smallish circles, placed on a hot stone in a 500° oven. After a minute or two in the over the dough puffed up like it was being blown up by an air compressor. As soon as I took them out of the oven, they would immediately deflate and take on the familiar pita shape.

I whipped up some fresh hummus with just chick peas, sesame seed, garlic, lemon & salt and had then with the still warm pita. It wasn’t nearly as good as the very authentic home made hummus Joel brought my the other day for breakfast but it was very good.

The pita’s were good enough to serve to guests but given the availablity of really good pitas made locally, I might not bother.

Halloween Alaska is playing at The Cedar — Saturday, May 13 8:00 PM (7:00 PM doors) Ticket are $10.00.

I can’t make it — I’m on kid duty for the weekend so can’t go but you should go to the show.